Queenshttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/queens
en-usTue, 31 Mar 2015 17:35:53 -0400Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:35:53 -0400The latest news on Queens from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-brewery-scene-2015-3How Queens became a beer lover's favorite destination http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-brewery-scene-2015-3
Mon, 16 Mar 2015 15:00:00 -0400Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/550710686bb3f7d8720a2496-550-412/extralarge-75.jpg" border="0" alt="extralarge"></p><p>Breweries are booming in Queens.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Just a few years ago the borough didn't have any, but now Queens is bursting at the seams with brewers&nbsp;attracted to the area's cheaper rents and more available space than elsewhere in the city.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.queensbrewery.com/">Queens Brewery</a>, which started production upstate&nbsp;in 2013, just announced plans to&nbsp;move to a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150309/ridgewood/queens-brewery-open-first-nyc-location-ridgewood">new space in Ridgewood</a>&nbsp;later this year —&nbsp;making it the seventh brewery to hit the borough in recent years.</p>
<p>The breweries all cropped up in the past&nbsp;three years, mostly clustered in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/queens/astoria-long-island-city">Long Island City</a>&nbsp;and Astoria and around Ridgewood and Glendale.<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/55070c7d6da811a07d4b7c48-800-391/screen shot 2015-03-16 at 12.59.02 pm.jpg" border="0" alt="Map"></p>
<p>In 2012, three breweries opened&nbsp;in Queens, each&nbsp;varying&nbsp;in size and production.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.singlecutbeer.com/">SingleCut Beersmiths</a>, a brewery based in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20121126/astoria/queens-first-brewery-decades-set-open-december">Astoria</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<span>mainly&nbsp;focuses</span><span>&nbsp;on lagers and IPAs</span><span>, is one of the larger breweries, and includes&nbsp;taprooms and communal tables.</span></p>
<p><span><a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/tags/bridge-tunnel-brewery" target="_self">Bridge and Tunnel Brewery</a>&nbsp;still&nbsp;makes its beer&nbsp;out of&nbsp;a tiny&nbsp;garage in Maspeth, although it&nbsp;plans to expand into a&nbsp;larger space&nbsp;in Ridgewood&nbsp;by this summer, the owner said.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://rockawaybrewco.com/">Rockaway Brewing Company</a>, in&nbsp;Long Island City, started<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120619/long-island-city/queens-beachgoers-can-sip-suds-from-new-long-island-city-microbrewery" target="_blank">&nbsp;selling its beers in Rockaway beach</a>&nbsp;before it eventually expanded distribution&nbsp;to bars around the city.</p>
<p>The brewery boom will only continue to grow, according to beer experts.</p>
<p>For instance, Queens Brewery has been producing its beers&nbsp;from a borrowed space in Saratoga Springs since 2013, but it's launching&nbsp;its own brewery on Covert Street in Ridgewood by&nbsp;September.</p>
<p>It's also planning to eventually feature a beer garden, the owner said.</p>
<p>"In the next few years, we should see even more breweries,"&nbsp;<span>said&nbsp;</span><a href="http://joshuambernstein.com/">Joshua Bernstein</a><span>, author of&nbsp;</span><a href="http://joshuambernstein.com/my-book/">“Brewed Awakening” and "The Complete Beer Course."</a></p>
<p>The borough is&nbsp;attracting&nbsp;brewers with&nbsp;affordable real estate prices and because “there are still a lot more available spaces ... in Queens [than in Brooklyn and Manhattan]," Bernstein said.</p>
<p>Brewers are also tapping into the&nbsp;growing interest in craft beers among consumers, he said.</p>
<p><span>Brewing knowledge, equipment and ingredients have also become&nbsp;much more accessible in recent years&nbsp;—&nbsp;inspiring beer lovers to produce at home, and maybe moving on to&nbsp;producing&nbsp;on a larger scale,&nbsp;</span><span>Bernstein</span><span>&nbsp;said.</span></p>
<p><span>Bridge and Tunnel Brewery's founder&nbsp;Rich Castagna,&nbsp;</span><span>42, is one success story.</span></p>
<p><span>Castagna&nbsp;brewed&nbsp;at home for nearly a decade&nbsp;before he decided to expand production and moved his operation&nbsp;into his 150-foot garage.</span></p>
<p><span>Now, Castagna produces 25 different brews, and is working on construction of a&nbsp;2,300-square-foot brewery,&nbsp;including a taproom with farmhouse tables, he said.&nbsp;</span><span>He hopes the facility&nbsp;will be ready open in time for&nbsp;summer.</span></p>
<p>The new brewery, on Decatur Street, will be located only two blocks away from the new Queens Brewery, Castagna said.</p>
<p>“It’s coming from the heart,” he said about his passion for beer and brewing.</p>
<p>Before Prohibition in the 1920s,&nbsp;Queens was home to several breweries, mostly&nbsp;operating&nbsp;out of&nbsp;Ridgewood and College Point.</p>
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<p>After Prohibition,&nbsp;<span>which lasted until 1933,&nbsp;</span><span>Burke Brewery&nbsp;opened in Long Island City and produced&nbsp;its own beer and later Guinness until 1954.</span></p>
<p>Today, the borough is embracing breweries again.</p>
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<p>Last year, the borough held&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140318/astoria/first-queens-beer-week-highlight-boroughs-growing-brew-scene">its first Queens Beer Week&nbsp;</a>event, which&nbsp;showcased&nbsp;local breweries&nbsp;and featured&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20150220/long-island-city/celebrate-beer-week-with-long-island-city-brewery-crawl">a brewery crawl</a>&nbsp;in Long Island City, where&nbsp;<a href="http://rockawaybrewco.com/">Rockaway Brewing Company</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bigalicebrewing.com/">Big Alice Brewing</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.transmitterbrewing.com/">Transmitter Brewing</a>&nbsp;are located within walking distance of each other.<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54d52e6feab8ea284fdd4884-1200-900/transmitter-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Transmitter"></p>
<p><span>Glendale-based&nbsp;<a href="http://www.finbackbrewery.com/home.html">Finback Brewery</a>, which&nbsp;features a tasting room,</span><span>&nbsp;released its first beers, including&nbsp;Darkly Chocolate stout, last year.</span></p>
<p>Transmitter&nbsp;—&nbsp;a "nano-brewery" that&nbsp;opened in 2014 and&nbsp;specializes in&nbsp;French and Belgian-style farmhouse ales&nbsp;—&nbsp;recently kicked off a six-month&nbsp;brewery program, where participants can buy shares of the business&nbsp;in exchange for beer, “Transmitter” glasses and T-shirts.</p>
<p><span>Big Alice Brewing&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130614/long-island-city/new-long-island-city-brewery-offer-beer-csa">held a similar program</a>&nbsp;in the summer of 2013.<span>&nbsp;</span><span>The small brewery&nbsp;opened in 2013&nbsp;and is known for using quirky&nbsp;ingredients like&nbsp;purple potato and&nbsp;peppercorns.</span></p>
<p><span>“That’s kind of a very healthy evolving beer scene,” Bernstein said.</span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/next-glass-app-similar-beers-2014-11" >12 craft alternatives to beers your always order</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-brewery-scene-2015-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pappy-van-winkle-bourbon-price-scarce-whiskey-2015-3">Everything you've ever wanted to know about Pappy Van Winkle — America's favorite bourbon</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/10-classic-restaurants-in-queens-you-should-visit-2015-310 classic restaurants in Queens you should visithttp://www.businessinsider.com/10-classic-restaurants-in-queens-you-should-visit-2015-3
Tue, 03 Mar 2015 10:09:00 -0500Hillary Reinsberg
<p><span>You’ll find plenty of </span><a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/mu-ramen" title="Mu Ramen">packed nouveau ramen shops</a><span> and </span><a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/elias-corner" title="Elias Corner">pizza “laboratories”</a><span> in Queens, but the heart of the borough is in its classic establishments – from the red sauce joints and the no-menu freshest-fish-around Astoria Greek restaurants, to the German beer hall and straight-out-of-Mad Men tiki-themed Chinese restaurant. Here are some of the ones we think you should check out:</span></p>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/donpepperestaurant" target="_blank">Don Peppe’s</a>, <em>135-58 Lefferts Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11420</em>
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<p><span>This Ozone Park institution is a world leader in the art of linguine with clams. The interior decor is somewhere between nonexistent and run down country club, but that’s kind of the point.</span></p>
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<a href="http://www.tavernakyclades.com/" target="_blank">Taverna Kyclades</a>, <em>33-07 Ditmars Blvd., Queens, NY 11105</em>
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<p><span>The fairy godparent of Astoria Greek restaurants. They’ve expanded to the East Village, but the original – complete with wine while you wait, free dessert, and more food than you’ll know what to do with – is worth the trip.</span></p>
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<a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/sripraphai" title="SriPraPhai">SriPraPhai</a>, <em>6413 39th Ave., Woodside, NY 11377</em>
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<p><span>If there were a Thai food Olympics, SriPraPhai would win gold every time. Imagine Michael Phelps, if he made incredible green curry.</span><br><span> </span><br><a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/sripraphai" title="SriPraPhai">Read the review.</a></p>
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<a href="http://donovansny.com/" target="_blank">Donovan’s Pub</a>, <em>57-24 Roosevelt Ave., Woodside, NY 11377</em>
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<p class="embed-spacer"><span>If you dream of living inside of an It’s Always Sunny episode, this is your kind of spot. A classic Irish pub hangout, with a pretty legendary burger.</span></p>
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<a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/elias-corner" title="Elias Corner">Elias Corner</a>, <em>24-02 31st St., Astoria, NY 11102</em>
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<p>The motto here is: NO MENUS ONLY FISH, which is an accurate description of what you’ll get. Some of the best fish in the city, though. Get that octopus.<br> <br><a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/elias-corner" title="Elias Corner">Read the review.</a></p>
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<a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/trattoria-lincontro" title="Trattoria Lincontro">Trattoria L’incontro</a>, <em>21-76 31st St., Queens, NY 11105</em>
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<p>At Trattoria L’incontro in Astoria, the walls are sponge-painted, the waiters wear earpieces, and the tomato sauce is incredible. Come with a group for a truly excellent time.<br> <br><a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/trattoria-lincontro" title="Trattoria Lincontro">Read the review.</a></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.zumstammtisch.com/" target="_blank">Zum Stammtisch</a>, <em>69-46 Myrtle Ave, Glendale, NY 11385</em>
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<p class="embed-spacer"><span>Zum Stammtisch in Glendale is a classic Queens spot, but it could also be a classic Munich spot. Order a jagerschnitzel, because it sounds cool, and also because it’s one of the best things here.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.jacksondiner.com/" target="_blank">Jackson Diner</a>, <em>3747 74th St., Jackson Heights, NY 11372</em>
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<p><span>Jackson Diner is less “diner” and more “total smorgasbord of Indian food” that’s been around for 35 years. They know what they’re doing.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/MAPO-BBQ-%EB%A7%88%ED%8F%AC%EA%B0%88%EB%B9%84/111556698885071" target="_blank">Mapo B.B.Q.</a>, <em>24, 149-24 41st Ave., Flushing, NY 11355</em>
</h3>
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<p class="embed-spacer"><span>As far as Korean BBQ goes, Mapo’s got landmark status. You’re gonna have to get on the LIRR to get here, but… #BEEEEEF. It’s worth it.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.kingyumrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">King Yum</a>, <em>181-08 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366</em>
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<p>When we say old school Chinese, we mean really old school. Like tiki drinks and pu pu platter kind of old school. This is where we’d imagine the copywriters on Mad Men would go for a “fun night out.”</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/10-classic-restaurants-in-queens-you-should-visit-2015-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-do-a-pull-up-fitness-2015-2">You've been doing pull-ups all wrong</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/where-to-eat-in-flushing-2015-2The best spots for dumplings, and dim sum in Flushing, Queenshttp://www.businessinsider.com/where-to-eat-in-flushing-2015-2
Tue, 24 Feb 2015 10:44:00 -0500Ben Kopelman
<p><span>If you are ever considering moving out of New York, take an afternoon to walk around Flushing first. Get some dumplings, dim sum, and egg custards inside yourself, by visiting some of the establishments described below. Then get back to us. We think you might change your mind.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/white-bear-flushing" target="_blank">White Bear</a>, <em>135-02 Roosevelt Ave., Flushing, NY 11354</em>
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<p><span>In a neighborhood teeming with hole in the wall dumpling spots, this is THE hole in the wall dumpling spot. You want the wontons in chili oil. And you probably want to add more chili sauce once your steaming styrofoam plate arrives. Every day that we eat a salad for lunch we close our eyes and pretend to be eating a hot batch of these.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/corner-28-flushing-2" target="_blank">Corner 28</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">137-28 40th Rd., Flushing, NY 11354</em>
</h3>
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<p class="embed-spacer"> <span>You’re here for one thing and one thing only – the $1 duck buns. Originally sold out of a stall in the middle of Main Street, these buns have moved indoors into this crazy crowded food court. Head straight back when you enter and you’ll see a crew carving duck up like its their job (pretty sure that it is, actually). Soft bun, good duck, excellent sauce. Get one if you’re just passing by, but four of them will make a solid lunch, so don’t be shy.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://jadeasiannyc.com/" target="_blank">Jade Asian Restaurant</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">136-28 39th Ave., Flushing, NY 11354</em>
</h3>
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<p><span>If crowded pushing and shoving isn’t your thing, come out to Jade for some breathing room and dim sum. The main dining room is massive and there are even private areas along the back. It is definitely going to be loud and full of locals by the time you show up, but it is VIP treatment compared to some of the other places we’re sending you. Like a (spoiled fat) kid in a candy store, just point and grab anything that looks good as the wait staff wheels by. Come early – dim sum is breakfast, and the carts slowly but surely run out of the best bites.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/nan-xiang-xiao-long-bao-2/" target="_blank">Nan Xiang Dumpling House</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">38-12 Prince St., Flushing 11354</em>
</h3>
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<p><span>A can’t miss member of our </span><a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/features/the-dumpling-map">dumpling map</a><span>, this spot has the best soup dumplings around, and arguably the best in all of NYC. Order these right when you sit down (crab and pork, please) as they can take a bit to arrive. And while you should come for the soup dumps, you should stay for everything else. The scallion pancakes with sliced beef are…mmpphh…and the pan fried udon is aces as well. If you show up early on a weekend, peep the breakfast part of the menu and get an order of the crispy dough and sweet soy milk. Think churros and a sweet dipping sauce. Every table will have a plate of these on it. Lines are the norm, so plan accordingly and come prepared (a.k.a. starving).</span></p>
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<h3>
<a href="http://www.theinfatuation.com/new-york/reviews/biang">Biang!</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">41-10 Main St, Flushing, NY 11355</em>
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<p class="embed-spacer"> <span>The fancier spin off of Xi’an Famous Foods, this place has a lot of the same tastes and flavors – cumin-covered meats, spicy noodles, yakitori skewers – but in a more proper setting. Biang! is a full blown restaurant, as opposed to a food stall, so you get things like napkins and waiters. If you know Xi’an from other parts of town, or are just in the mood for a cleaner, hipper space, hit this place up instead. It may not have the same gritty feel to it, but the food is still sexy-affordable and anybody who calls it trendy is just talking sh*t.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/golden-shopping-mall-flushing" target="_blank">Golden Shopping Mall Food Court</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">41-36 Main St., Flushing, NY 11355</em>
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<p><span>Instead of 2,000 calorie Cinnabons, the food court in the basement of this mall has dumplings, noodles, and a whole lot of beef tendons. Start at Tianjin Dumpling House and get yourself an order of the lamb and green squash dumplings. From there, grab a table around the corner at Xi’an Famous Foods. Yes, you can go to the East Village, Chinatown, or Midtown location these days, but this basement dwelling is the original, so pay your respects. We’re partial to the spicy cumin lamb burger but the noodle dishes are good too, especially the pork “zha jiang.” If the pictured menu on the wall doesn’t look appetizing, you’re wrong. If it does, let’s date. Finish up your crawl at Lanzhou Handmade Noodles for, well, handmade noodles. Even if you got some at Xi’an, double it up with an order from this spot. Noodle-off y’all!</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.newworldmallny.com/food-court" target="_blank">New World Mall Food Court</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">136-20 Roosevelt Ave., Flushing, NY 11354</em>
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<p><span>Another food court in another shopping mall, New World is squeaky clean and full blown 21st century compared to the Golden Shopping Mall. Even if you are done eating for the day, make it a point to come check this place out. It is always busy and has a dozen-plus options to chose from. You never know when the right smell might hit and inspire you to make room for just one…more…bite.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/new-flushing-bakery-flushing" target="_blank">New Flushing Bakery</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">135-45 Roosevelt Ave., Flushing, NY 11354</em>
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<p><span>Anytime a bakery consistently sells out of a single item before lunch, you should take notice. We certainly do. Good sweets are good sweets and the egg custard out here is good f*cking sweets. Get there and get one before they’re done for the day.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="http://www.tenren.com/newyork.html" target="_blank">Ten Ren Tea &amp; Ginseng</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">135-18 Roosevelt Ave., Flushing, NY 11354</em>
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<p class="embed-spacer"><span>Bubble tea is not hard to find in this hood, but Ten Ren is our go-to favorite. We usually opt for the green tea, or if we’re in the mood for something sweet, the taro is tops.</span></p>
<h3>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/princeteahouse" target="_blank">Prince Tea House</a>, <em style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">6-39 Prince St., Flushing NY 11354</em>
</h3>
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<p><span>With more desserts and more tea, this spot is nice for a quick pop on a cold day. Order a hot cup and browse the dessert menu for things you aren’t going to find in most other cafes, like the green tea crepe cake.</span></p>
<p class="embed-spacer"></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/where-to-eat-in-flushing-2015-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/killer-home-workout-crunches-knee-tucks-push-ups-spiderman-2015-2">Here's a killer workout you can do at home</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/jamaica-queens-could-become-nycs-next-tourism-hot-spot-2015-1Jamaica, Queens Could Become NYC's Next Tourist Hot Spothttp://www.businessinsider.com/jamaica-queens-could-become-nycs-next-tourism-hot-spot-2015-1
Wed, 14 Jan 2015 16:38:00 -0500Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/54b6ddb66da811d8241a58cf-1024-768/2841627554_14bf63d5bc_b.jpg" border="0" alt="Jamaica Queens"></p><p>QUEENS — Jamaica could be New York's next tourist hotspot — at least that's the dream of the new head of the neighborhood's&nbsp;<a href="http://jamaicacenter.org/">Business Improvement District</a>.</p>
<p>Rhonda Binda is planning to organize tours around the neighborhood and launch a series of pop-up installations that would highlight local history and cultural achievements.</p>
<p>Binda, 37, a former&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/">White House</a>&nbsp;employee who got her law degree at<a href="http://www.georgetown.edu/">Georgetown University</a>, became the BID's executive director last month.</p>
<p>A Jamaica native who currently lives in the area, she said she is teaming up with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.itsinqueens.com/dq/">the Queens Tourism Council</a>&nbsp;to organize themed tours around the neighborhood for both locals and travelers who have long layovers at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk.html">JFK</a>.</p>
<p>“We can have people come for a walking tour or a shopping tour,” she said.</p>
<p>During the tours, participants would be able to learn about places important in jazz and hip-hop history, visit old churches or eat at restaurants serving a variety of ethnic cuisines, she said.</p>
<p>“We are really a gateway for the international community that’s coming to New York,” said Binda.</p>
<p>She is also planning to launch a series of pop-up installations that would highlight local history and artists.</p>
<p>Recently, the neighborhood has become home to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20131125/jamaica/jamaica-taps-into-tourism-with-hundreds-of-new-hotel-rooms">a number of hotels</a>&nbsp;and a new&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20141020/jamaica/map-luxury-residence-among-buidlings-changing-face-of-jamaica">Hilton Garden Inn is planned for downtown Jamaica</a>&nbsp;in the near future.</p>
<p>Binda said Jamaica, which has historically struggled with neglect and crime, has undergone numerous changes throughout the years.</p>
<p>But it still faces many challenges, she said.</p>
<p>Binda's parents, immigrants from Guyana, moved to Queens Village and later to Jamaica in the 1970s, when she was a little girl.</p>
<p>Her mother worked as a medical office assistant while her father was a minister. He also had a small store selling vacuum cleaners on Jamaica Avenue and 215th Street, she said.</p>
<p>Back then, she said, many people from the neighborhood would go to Forest Hills to shop and dine. Today, she said, it's often still the case.</p>
<p>Her goal is to attract more sit-down restaurants and quality stores to the neighborhood, which is dominated by fast food.</p>
<p>Citing data provided by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gjdc.org/">the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation</a>, she said that Jamaica residents spend more than $400 million on dining and about $200 million on clothing and shoes outside the neighborhood each year — money she said she would like to see spent locally.</p>
<p>Binda said the BID is also hoping to encourage more nightlife in downtown Jamaica by organizing comedy shows, concerts, film screenings and open mics for local artists.</p>
<p>Binda, who went to local public schools before going to Washington, DC, where she worked for the Office of Public Engagement for the Clinton White House, said she feels "very honored" to work for her home neighborhood.</p>
<p>“I think now is really the time for Jamaica and for all of Queens for that matter,” she said, noting that Jamaica is projected to become&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20141210/jamaica/jamaica-projected-be-among-hottest-nyc-nabes-with-72-percent-price-jump">one of the five “hottest” neighborhoods in the city</a>&nbsp;among renters and buyers this year by real estate website&nbsp;<a href="http://streeteasy.com/?gclid=CjwKEAiAlb6lBRCBw4jC-bb3uykSJAB55Ti9m_Ln0eyv9Pu970CSzn-uO3H8lDLtRZzlE_L7hjXeTBoC_Q7w_wcB">StreetEasy</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/">"Lonely Planet"</a>&nbsp;also&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20141210/jackson-heights/queens-is-top-tourist-destination-us-travel-guide-says">picked Queens as the top place to visit</a>&nbsp;in the entire country in its 2015 guide.</p>
<p>The current administration, she said, has also been&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140625/jamaica/city-community-pushing-develop-overlooked-jamaica">paying more attention</a>&nbsp;"to the other boroughs [than Manhattan]."</p>
<p>Binda replaced Felicia Tunnah, who&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140730/jamaica/jamaica-center-bid-ousts-its-executive-director">left the BID</a>&nbsp;in July last year.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tripadvisor-travelers-choice-winners-2013-5" >23 Places You Should Visit In 2015</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jamaica-queens-could-become-nycs-next-tourism-hot-spot-2015-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-nyc-outside-of-manhattan-2014-11GET OUT OF MANHATTAN: The Best Things To Do In The Outer Boroughshttp://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-nyc-outside-of-manhattan-2014-11
Thu, 06 Nov 2014 15:30:00 -0500Asta Thrastardottir
<p class="p1"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/545a57c66bb3f77617becb1d-1200-858/4315763671_db588426c7_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Brooklyn "></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">New York City is massive.</span></p>
<p class="p1">There's Astoria, Crown Heights, Elmhurst, Bushwick, Greenpoint, Long Island City, Flushing, and 300 other neighborhoods in this city of 8 million people.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Yet when tourists think of New York, they always seem to think of one thing: Manhattan.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">And although Manhattan is pretty, there are four other incredible boroughs, and&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">each has its own individual identity.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island have endless opportunities for new and exciting things to discover.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">I’ve just moved here, and I’ve been exploring some of what this huge place has to offer. While this list does not pretend to be at all comprehensive, it is a small glimpse into some of the many things to do outside of Manhattan.</span></p>
<h1>BROOKLYN</h1>
<h3><a href="http://mastbrothers.com/"><strong>Take a Mast Brothers Chocolate tour</strong></a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/545249eaeab8ea051963f75e-1200-800/11818406975_9c9c5a04ac_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Mast Brothers " style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Mast Brothers Chocolate in Brooklyn makes artisan bean-to-bar chocolate. Founded by Michael Mast and his older brother Rick, the two brothers make all sorts of different flavored chocolates.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, they give tours that let you take an exclusive look at how Mast Brothers have pioneered craft chocolate, so it’s basically like taking a tour of the Willy Wonka chocolate factory.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.bbg.org/"><strong>Escape to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden</strong></a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/54592dc069bedd7a1a5b97bb-1200-800/14663304324_50374d524d_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Brooklyn Botanic Garden" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">If the stress of the city has become too much to handle, the best cure could be a serene walk through the botanic gardens in Brooklyn.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1">The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has over 10,000 types of plants spanning its 52-acre garden.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Founded in 1910, the spread also has more than 200 cherry trees, a rose garden with some of its original plants, and a Japanese hill-and-pond garden.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1">It even has special events for the&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">dreary&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">winter months. One is called, “Light In Winter,” which celebrates the beauty of the garden and the connection to nature during the darkest months of the year.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Bonus:&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Starting November 1st and running through February 28, the garden is free to the public on weekdays.</span></p>
<h3><strong><a href="http://www.prospectpark.org/">Take a long walk through Prospect Park</a></strong></h3>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5447feaceab8ea38218ac6bf-1200-800/2121937458_2e0e1d0632_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Prospect Park" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Prospect Park is a lush 585-acre public park in Brooklyn.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">It's well-known for the 90-acre Long Meadow, which is one of the longest uninterrupted stretches of park in the country. The park is also home to Brooklyn’s only forest, the Lefferts historic house, a zoo, and a historic carousel.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1">In the winter,&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">visitors can ice-skate, cross-country ski, and even go sledding in the Long Meadow.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3 class="p1"><a href="http://brooklynflea.com/">Find some treasures at Brooklyn Flea</a></h3>
<p class="p1"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/529e865aecad040d69dfbba6-1200-800/4395909011_e8fa782a7f_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Brooklyn flea indoors winter"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Founded in 2008, Brooklyn Flea has been ranked as one of the best flea markets in the world.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Every weekend from 10am until 5pm, hundreds of local and regional vendors sell antique furniture, vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, and plenty of other treasures.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>From April through Thanksgiving the market is on the streets, but in November the market moves indoors.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bergn.com/">Check out the new Berg’n Beer and Food Hall&nbsp;</a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/545a4cb269bedd6e2d4f6e47-960-640/1610788_283980988465767_6927043572573915709_n.jpg" border="0" alt="Berg'n"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The founders of Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg have created a beer-hall-meets-cafeteria in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood.</span></p>
<p class="p1">Whatever you’re craving — whether it be a craft beer, Ramen burger, <span>truffled egg pie from Pizza Moto,&nbsp;</span>or just a place to watch the Sunday football game on a big screen — Berg’n offers it.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Plus, Berg’n is perfect for late night snacking since it's open from “10 am ’til Late.”&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2>QUEENS</h2>
<h3><a href="http://momaps1.org/">See some experimental art at MOMA PS1</a></h3>
<p><a href="http://momaps1.org/"></a><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/54592bc96bb3f7930f6ccb40-1200-800/7540742780_f61c3b0c4c_o.jpg" border="0" alt="MoMaPS1" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">MoMa PS1 is one of the largest art institutions in the US dedicated solely to contemporary art. The exhibition spaces devotes its resources to displaying some of the "most experimental art in the world."</span></p>
<p>It once served as the first school in Long Island City and has preserved much of it's original architecture,&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">which means that the space has very unique classroom-sized galleries.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><a href="http://socratessculpturepark.org/">Check out the outdoor art at Socrates Sculpture Park</a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5459514869bedd290823401b-1200-858/2343119342_f6abca847c_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Socrates Sculpture Park"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The four acre park is the largest outdoor space in New York City dedicated to exhibiting sculpture.&nbsp;It was once an abandoned landfill and illegal dump-site, and was converted into a outdoor sculpture laboratory by a coalition of young artists led by sculptor Mark di Suvero. It was meant to be an outdoor sculpture laboratory dedicated to up-and-coming artists.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>In addition to being an exhibition space, the park offers an arts education program, artist residency program, and job training.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.silvercupstudios.com/">Walk through the iconic Silver Cup Studios</a></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.silvercupstudios.com/"></a><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5459303eeab8ea5b32862da7-1200-800/869084287_9adcdbca14_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Silver Cup Studios" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Take a tour of the renowned Silvercup Studios, the largest film and television production facility in New York City.&nbsp;Notable shows that have been filmed here include: 30 Rock, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and many more.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>It is currently home to the shows White Collar and HBO’s Girls.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><a href="http://bohemianhall.com/">Drink authentic Czech Republic beers at The Bohemian Hall &amp; Beer Garden</a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5459411e6bb3f7e94b6ccb40-720-480/214652411_28d3613324_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Bohemian Beer Hall " width="753" height="502"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">What was once a Czech and Slovak social club, is now one of New York’s best beer gardens. The beer hall in Astoria is known for its vast selection of authentic Czech Republic, Slovakian, and German beers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The garden is closed in the winter, but the hall serves warm and hearty Czech cuisine throughout the cold winter months.&nbsp;</p>
<h2>THE BRONX</h2>
<h3><a href="http://www.bronxzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits.aspx">See the lions at The Bronx Zoo</a></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.bronxzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits.aspx"></a><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/545930cbeab8ea3039862da1-1200-858/4636953198_41d2f0d6ab_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Bronx Zoo " style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The Bronx Zoo is one of the largest metropolitan zoos in the world. It has over 6,000 animals from about 650 species. Some notable exhibits include the Congo Gorilla Forest, a guided monorail tour of Wild Asian animals, Tiger Mountain, and one-of-a-kind wildlife from Madagascar.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Bonus: Admission is free on Wednesday’s, but donations are always recommended.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 class="p2"><a href="http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/poecottage.html">Visit the cottage where Edgar Allan Poe wrote "Annabel Lee"</a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/545941ececad0497518b4567-1200-924/4720028992_9c21f33e4b_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Edgar Allan Poe Cottage "><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Visit the former home of the famous American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The six-room cottage was home to Poe and his wife Virgina in 1844. Poe wrote the famous poems “Annabel Lee,” “The Bells,” and “Eureka” while living in this cottage.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The home is now operated as a historic house museum by the Bronx Country Historical Society, and is furnished with gothic items that actually belonged to Poe, including the bed that his beloved wife Virgina died in.&nbsp;</p>
<h3><a href="http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/nyy/ballpark/">Visit "The House That Ruth Built" and tour Yankee Stadium</a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/545932e5eab8ea2b40862da2-1035-776/yankee-stadium-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Yankee Stadium" width="797" height="597"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Take a behind-the-scenes tour of Yankee Stadium. The New York Yankees Museum has a “Ball Wall” of hundreds of balls autographed by past and present Yankees. The tour also goes to&nbsp;Monument Park, The Dugout, and the Yankees Clubhouse.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>In the parking lot of the stadium you'll find the Fame City mural, which features Yankee legends&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Thurman Munson.</span></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.arthuravenuebronx.com/">Stroll through Arthur Avenue, otherwise known as New York's 'Real' Little Italy</a></h3>
<p><a href="http://www.arthuravenuebronx.com/"></a><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/54593234eab8eabb3d862da0-1080-720/2517391030_36b95d3d9b_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Brox Little Italy " width="752" height="548"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Arthur Avenue is a street in the Fordham section of the Bronx, and consider to be the best place to find Italian cuisine. It has often been called the <em>real</em> Little Italy of New York, and has authentic Italian bakeries, butcher shops, fish markets, and many specialty stores.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Some famous spots on Arthur Avenue to check out are Casa Della Mozzarella, Madonia Brothers Bakery, Cosenza’s Fish Market, and Peter’s Meat Market.&nbsp;</p>
<h1>STATEN ISLAND</h1>
<h3 class="p2"><a href="http://abandonednyc.com/2013/02/26/wreaking-havoc-in-the-staten-island-farm-colony/">Check out the abandoned Staten Island farm colony</a></h3>
<p class="p2"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/54594e77ecad04107e01316c-1200-800/9070675660_225bd40922_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Staten Island "><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The "playground for graffiti artist and ghost hunters," this 45-acre campus of abandoned buildings is s</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">ituated </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">in the center of the Staten Island's Greenbelt forest.&nbsp;The Farm Colony was once a collection of farmhouses that rehabilitated New York City’s again poor, but it was shut down in 1975 and left abandoned.</span></p>
<p>Because the structures of the Farm Colony are enveloped in trees and vines, they are only visible from November until May.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 class="p1"><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g48682-d3319906-Reviews-Postcards_The_The_Staten_Island_September_11_Memorial-Staten_Island_New_York.html">Visit the Staten Island September 11 Memorial</a></h3>
<p class="p1"><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/545944b26bb3f749546ccb3c-1200-924/9718894837_a08a7feaf9_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Staten Island "><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Built in 2004, Postcards is an outdoor sculpture in the St. George neighborhood of Staten Island. It was built as a permanent memorial honoring the 274 Staten Island residents who were killed in the September 11 attacks and the 1993 Word Trade Center bombing.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The outdoor sculpture represents two large postcards, and each Staten Island victim is honored with a 9 X 11 inch granite plaque bearing their picture, name, birthday, and place of work at the time of the September 11 attacks. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><a href="http://snug-harbor.org/botanical-garden/new-york-chinese-scholars-garden/">Stroll through the Chinese Scholar Garden:</a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/545946296bb3f783586ccb43-1200-800/8314488358_ab5e070f58_k.jpg" border="0" alt="Staten Island "><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The Chinese Scholar Garden is a part of Staten Island Botanical Garden, located in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">It is a replica of a typical scholar’s garden from the Ming Dynasty and is the only authentic classic Scholar’s Garden in the US.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h3><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60763-d143363-Reviews-Staten_Island_Ferry-New_York_City_New_York.html"><strong>Ride the Staten Island Ferry:</strong></a></h3>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5459349969bedda32f5b97bb-1000-665/5083343087_59bd75bc7d_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Staten Island " width="771" height="569"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Take a free ride of the State Island Ferry. The 24-hour ferry provides postcard worthy views of New York City's skyline,&nbsp;Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><em>Have any favorite outer borough activities that we missed? Suggest them in the comments!</em></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-in-nyc-this-fall-2014-9?op=1" >33 Things Every New Yorker Should Do This Fall</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Businessinsider.Life?ref=hl" >Follow Business Insider's Life on Facebook!</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/things-to-do-in-nyc-outside-of-manhattan-2014-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/outlaw-instagrammers-in-nyc-2014-9Unbelievable Pictures From The 11 Best 'Outlaw Instagrammers' In New York Cityhttp://www.businessinsider.com/outlaw-instagrammers-in-nyc-2014-9
Wed, 17 Sep 2014 15:12:00 -0400Christian Storm
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5419dc5569beddb05f47c0cf-800-600/outlaw-instagrammers-1.jpg" border="0" alt="outlaw instagrammers">New York is a magical city, full of interesting people and mysterious places. You can live in New York City your entire life and never see 99% of it, especially the parts you're not allowed to.</span></p>
<p>A group of urban explorers, dubbed "Outlaw Instagrammers" in a recent <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/08/outlaw-instragrammers-of-new-york-city.html" target="_blank">New York Magazine article</a>, are seeking to see more of the city than anyone else.</p>
<p>These young daredevils, equipped with cameras and light clothes, scale to the top of New York's highest buildings and bridges in order to photograph what they see. Most of their photos end up on Instagram, their preferred method of dissemination. Their work has garnered a lot of attention and for some, tens of thousands of followers.</p>
<p>Getting to those high spots is very dangerous and often illegal, which makes looking at these photos that much more exhilarating. </p>
<p>We compiled a list of our favorite feeds of "Outlaw Instagrammers." We don't suggest you try these stunts on your own, but we hope looking at the pictures makes your day a little more exciting.</p><h3>We kick it off with @humzadeas, arguably the most well-known of the Instagrammers. His escapades were recently profiled in a New York Magazine article. </h3>
<p><p><iframe width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" src="//instagram.com/p/smlxakEqCb/embed/"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://instagram.com/humzadeas" target="_blank">Follow @humzadeas here</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>He's only 17 years old, but he seems to be climbing the buildings and bridges of New York City almost every night and posting his adventures.</h3>
<p><p><iframe width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" src="//instagram.com/p/sYcp3fkqFo/embed/"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://instagram.com/humzadeas" target="_blank">Follow @humzadeas here</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>@Demidism is second on the list. Just like Deas, he's only 17, yet he seems to have more guts then anyone we know.</h3>
<p><p><iframe width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" src="//instagram.com/p/suFwD2R4rN/embed/"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://instagram.com/demidism" target="_blank">Follow @demidism here</a></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/outlaw-instagrammers-in-nyc-2014-9#how-they-keep-such-steady-balance-and-manage-to-look-so-calm-on-the-edge-of-such-high-spots-we-have-no-idea-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/subway-train-derails-in-queens-2014-5Subway Train Derails In Queenshttp://www.businessinsider.com/subway-train-derails-in-queens-2014-5
Fri, 02 May 2014 11:08:00 -0400Harrison Jacobs
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5363b447eab8ea056d5b94fe-1024-768/ftrain.jpg" border="0" alt="ftrain" />A subway train derailed in the Woodside area of Queens this morning, leaving 19 passengers injured, <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/05/02/f-subway-train-derails-in-woodside-queens/">including four who were potentially seriously injured</a>, according to CBS New York.</p>
<p><span>FDNY and paramedics were on the scene quickly and evacuated the approximately 1,000 passengers on the 8-car train. Passengers had to be evacuated 20 at a time as they had to leave through a narrow emergency access point.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>The train that derailed was a Manhattan-bound F Train that was running on the express track. The derailment occurred near Broadway and 65th Street at around 10:40 AM. Its still not clear what caused the train to derail.</p>
<p><span>&ldquo;The first car of the train made it through without derailing. The following cars then, about six cars, derailed and&nbsp;</span><span>the final car stayed on the track,&rdquo; NYPD Chief of Patrol James Hall said at a news conference this afternoon.</span></p>
<p>While there are currently delays on the E, R, F, and M lines, due to the derailment, MTA officials said that they are hoping to restore local service in time for the evening rush.</p>
<p><span><span>Here is the FDNY pulling passengers out through the emergency hatch in the ground:</span></span></p>
<p><iframe width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" src="//instagram.com/p/nf-of7x5O7/embed/"></iframe></p>
<p><span><span>DNAInfo reporter Katie Honan had a Vine</span>&nbsp;of the scene from the ground: <iframe width="600" height="600" frameborder="0" src="https://vine.co/v/MrwvF1tu0q5/embed/simple"></iframe>
<script async="" src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<iframe width="600" height="600" frameborder="0" src="https://vine.co/v/MrwindijKHT/embed/simple"></iframe>
<script async="" src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/subway-train-derails-in-queens-2014-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/teena-katz-subway-accident-2014-3Woman Who Lost Both Legs After Being Crushed By Subway Finds Incredible Support Online From Strangershttp://www.businessinsider.com/teena-katz-subway-accident-2014-3
Tue, 25 Mar 2014 10:36:00 -0400Caroline Moss
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5331912569beddd16620366e-1091-878/screen shot 2014-03-25 at 10.21.55 am.png" border="0" alt="Teena Katz" /></p><p>Teena Katz is a New Yorker, and she knows waiting for the subway can be frustrating.</p>
<p>So when NYPD officers found her pinned to the subway tracks on the day after Christmas, her legs completely severed from her body and blood everywhere, the first thing she did was apologize.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"I'm really sorry for delaying the train," she said.</p>
<p>The officers and EMTs were shocked.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">It was a miracle she could even speak at all. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Katz, 31, lost both of her legs after being struck by the 7 train at Grand Central.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">She lost her right leg just below her hip, and her left was amputated below her knee.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Katz told Business Insider the details are still fuzzy.</span></p>
<p>"I was having dinner with my girlfriends that night and I went to Grand Central to take the 7 back [to Queens]. The last thing I remember was feeling lightheaded and moving away from the tracks."</p>
<p>"I don't remember apologizing for the train being late," she admitted with a chuckle, "but when I heard the EMTs recount of that anecdote later I thought,&nbsp;<em>yeah, that sounds like me."<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></em></p>
<p>Katz is impossibly upbeat for someone that has just returned home after months in the hospital and countless appointments and surgeries. An employee at Universal Music Group, she is is delightful and soft-spoken, and hopeful about being fit for prosthetic legs this summer.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Life before the accident was filled with activities, she told BI. Now she has to learn to live a new life.</p>
<p>She says her husband Ben (pictured below), her family and her friends have been invaluable to her as she begins her recovery.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/533191ea6da8114b1c86a70b-1200-706/screen shot 2014-03-25 at 10.25.17 am.png" border="0" alt="Teena Katz" /></p>
<p>But it's the support of strangers that has touched her.</p>
<p>She's been keeping <a href="http://teenavsthe7train.com/">a blog &mdash; Teena vs. the 7 Train </a>&mdash; where she's documenting the ups and downs of coming home after the accident. Her humor shines through her updates; there's even a dedicated page to <a href="http://teenavsthe7train.com/">"Teenaisms."</a></p>
<p>She initially started writing in hopes of keeping friends and family abreast, but as <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?id=9455696">news outlets began covering her story,</a> her blog received an outpouring of comments of encouragement from people Katz had never met. Many, she told Business Insider, <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&amp;SESSION=12v-1UwfRBmrWxyo__KVLfc3doVFl8hHGWjpP1xvBbkZVp4swJucvCx6iFa&amp;dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8d8cdcf517b037b45005cf5d4eda3b985b">donated to the fund set up for her medical expenses.</a> The cost of prosthetic legs, she says, is going to be incredibly expensive.</p>
<p>"I was blown away," Katz said, "all of the comments are so nice."</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/53318cd0eab8ea913ff5119f-459-177/screen shot 2014-03-25 at 9.58.20 am.png" border="0" alt="Teena" /><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/53318cd06bb3f7ff3fc682ff-459-144/screen shot 2014-03-25 at 9.58.46 am.png" border="0" alt="Teena" /><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/53318cd0ecad040e4df511a2-454-145/screen shot 2014-03-25 at 10.00.04 am.png" border="0" alt="Teena" /></p>
<p>Katz said she wants to <a href="http://teenavsthe7train.com/">continue the blog</a> and share her story.</p>
<p>"I'm not trying to be an inspiration to anyone; I'm humbled that people have said they're inspired. I want to keep writing about it and share as much as I can about what I'm going through."</p>
<p>In a blog post a few days ago, Katz's spirits remain high for her new future.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"C&rsquo;mon body&hellip;<a href="http://teenavsthe7train.com/">hurry up and heal so I can get started on prosthetics</a>!" she wrote. "I have things I need to do, people I need to see, and places I need to go."</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">To read more about Teena Katz, visit her website, <a href="http://teenavsthe7train.com/">Teena vs. the 7 Train</a>.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/teena-katz-subway-accident-2014-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/wi-fi-coming-to-many-nyc-subway-stations-2014-2A Big Chunk Of NYC's Subway System Is Getting WiFi And Cell Servicehttp://www.businessinsider.com/wi-fi-coming-to-many-nyc-subway-stations-2014-2
Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:24:04 -0500Jeanmarie Evelly
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/530642f1ecad04702916d246-480-/subway.gif" border="0" alt="subway" width="480" /></p><p>QUEENS &mdash; Straphangers in Queens soon won't have to hang up when they go underground.</p>
<p>Wireless cellphone service and<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/tags/wifi" target="_self">Wi-Fi</a>&nbsp;are being installed at all of the borough's 29 underground subway stations in the coming months, officials announced Wednesday, part of the second phase of the&nbsp;<a href="http://mta.info/">MTA</a>'s plan to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130423/new-york-city/wireless-service-expands-30-more-subway-stations-thursday">connect the city's transit system</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.transitwireless.com/transit-wireless-begins-phase-two-construction-to-bring-wireless-connectivity-to-underground-subway-stations-in-midtown-and-queens/">Transit Wireless</a>, the company handling the project, said it will also bring service to 11 more stations in Midtown Manhattan, including Grand Central Terminal, 34th St. Herald Square and Bryant Park.</p>
<p>Those stations and the Queens stations should all be equipped by June, the company said. They'll join the 36 Manhattan stations&nbsp;<a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/WirelessServiceAtSubwayStations.htm">that have already gone wireless</a>.</p>
<p>"The MTA's firm commitment to bringing our transit system into the 21st century continues to bear fruit with new technology that will improve our customers' daily commutes," MTA head Thomas Prendergast said in a statement.</p>
<p>The expansion is expected to provide wireless to nearly 250 million annual riders, according to Transit Wireless. The company is planning to connect all of the city's subways stations by 2017, at the cost of approximately $200 million.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/kitty-genoveses-murder-and-the-bystander-effect-2014-2" >New Details In One Of NYC's Most Infamous Murders Show The Scary Power Of 'The Bystander Effect'</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wi-fi-coming-to-many-nyc-subway-stations-2014-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/banksy-gives-new-meaning-to-bubble-letters-on-the-final-day-of-his-new-york-show-2013-10Banksy Gives New Meaning To 'Bubble Letters' On The Final Day Of His New York Showhttp://www.businessinsider.com/banksy-gives-new-meaning-to-bubble-letters-on-the-final-day-of-his-new-york-show-2013-10
Thu, 31 Oct 2013 11:45:00 -0400Julie Zeveloff
<p>It's October 31, the final day of street artist <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/banksy-ny">Banksy's 31-day installation</a> on the streets of New York City.</p>
<p>For his last work, the artist tagged his name on a building in Queens, off the Long Island Expressway, using inflatable balloons. It's a nice twist on a classic style of New York graffiti, and a fitting way to end his show.</p>
<p>The work is located at&nbsp;at 35th Street and Borden Avenue, according to <a href="http://animalnewyork.com/2013/banksyny-31-balloon-piece-in-queens/">Animal New York</a>.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5272782aecad0452357d3d09-778-519/sized-31st-oct-image-02.jpg" border="0" alt="sized 31st oct image 02" /></p>
<p>He writes on his website: "A<span>n inflatable throw-up on the Long Island Expressway.&nbsp;<span>And that's it.</span><br /><span>Thanks for your patience. It's been fun. Save 5pointz. Bye"</span></span></p>
<p><span>5Pointz is a reference to a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/locals-irate-over-5pointz-plan-2013-5">Queens street art mecca</a> that's slated to be torn down to make way for luxury apartments.</span></p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5272782b69bedde6517d3d0e-778-519/sized-31st-oct_-image-01.jpg" border="0" alt="SIZED 31st OCT_ image 01" /></p>
<p>In an audio guide accompanying the work (available on Banksy's website), the narrator says Banksy said of his month-long endeavor: "If just one child has been inspired to pick up a can of paint and make some art, that would be statistically disappointing considering how much work I put in."</p>
<p>He also said that if there was one cohesive message from the show, it's that "Outside is where art should live, among us," and that "rather than street art being a fad, maybe the last 1,000 years of art history are a blip, when art came inside in the service of the church and institutions."</p>
<p>One final smirk from the elusive artist: An offer on his website for "<span>the official Banksy New York residency souvenir T shirt." Just take the jpg to the store and order a copy yourself:</span></p>
<p><span><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/52727a9eeab8ea3e0b7d3d19-778-644/new-balloon-tshirt.jpg" border="0" alt="new balloon tshirt" /></span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/banksy-ny"><strong>See Banksy's complete New York installation "Better Out Than In" here.</strong></a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/banksy-gives-new-meaning-to-bubble-letters-on-the-final-day-of-his-new-york-show-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/banksy-built-a-replica-of-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-in-queens-2013-10Banksy Built A Replica Of The Great Sphinx Of Giza In Queenshttp://www.businessinsider.com/banksy-built-a-replica-of-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-in-queens-2013-10
Tue, 22 Oct 2013 11:19:00 -0400Julie Zeveloff
<p>For today's installation in his month-long show on the streets of New York, artist Banksy built a replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza.</p>
<p>The cinderblock sculpture is located in Queens. A tipster lets us know it's at&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">127th St. &amp; 35th Ave. in Willets Point, near Citi Field.</span></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.banksyny.com/">artist writes on his website</a>: "<span>Everything but the kitchen Sphinx. A 1/36 scale replica of the great Sphinx of Giza made from smashed cinderblocks.You're advised not to drink the replica Arab spring water."</span></p>
<p><span><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/526696caecad04e933830082-778-524/sized-sphinx-wide-main-page-private.jpg" border="0" alt="sized sphinx wide main page private" /></span></p>
<p><span><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/526696ca6bb3f76433059266-778-519/sized.sphinx-crop-private.jpg" border="0" alt="banksy sphinx" /></span></p>
<p><span>The work is #22 in Banksy's show, called "Better Out Than In." <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/banksy-ny"><strong>You can see the rest of the works in the series here.</strong></a></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/banksy-built-a-replica-of-the-great-sphinx-of-giza-in-queens-2013-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/renters-are-fleeing-manhattan-and-brooklyn-for-queens-2013-9Renters Are Fleeing Manhattan And Brooklyn For Queenshttp://www.businessinsider.com/renters-are-fleeing-manhattan-and-brooklyn-for-queens-2013-9
Thu, 12 Sep 2013 12:28:00 -0400Guelda Voien
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5231eace69bedda553966714-480-/forest-hills-queens-new-york.jpg" border="0" alt="forest hills, queens, new york" width="480" /></p><p>Closing out a summer of&nbsp;<a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/08/08/landlords-and-tenants-stuck-in-stalemate-july-rental-market/">consistently high rents</a>&nbsp;in Manhattan and Brooklyn, tenants are seeking greener pastures, literally. The lush, relatively suburban streets of Queens saw a huge spurt in interest in August, execs from top brokerages told&nbsp;<em>The Real Deal</em>.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&ldquo;Inquiries for Queens rentals have jumped 38 percent in August over July,&rdquo; said Mark Menendez, director of rentals at Douglas Elliman, citing figures not disclosed publicly. &ldquo;The number one requested neighborhood is Forest Hills.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p>Manhattan rents have continued to hold steady, averaging $3,434 per month in August, $8 less per month than in July, when the average was $3,442 a month, according to Citi Habitats&rsquo; monthly rental market report, which uses data from the firm&rsquo;s own transactions, released today.</p>
<p>According to Elliman&rsquo;s monthly market report, also released today, the median monthly price tag for a Manhattan apartment was $3,150, down 1.8 percent year-over-year from $3,095.&nbsp;<a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/07/19/bellmarc-rental-arm-to-open-100-agent-office-in-midtown/">Coldwell Banker AC Lawrence</a>&nbsp;had a much higher figure &mdash; $3,588 per month, up 2.6 percent from $3,498 in July. (Year-over-year figures were not provided in the Coldwell report.) None of the brokerages track rents in Queens.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Pricing has been what it&rsquo;s been all year &ndash; flat,&rdquo; said Gary Malin, president of Citi Habitats. And while August should be busy in Manhattan, &ldquo;vacancy has been creeping up,&rdquo; Malin said. The figure grew slightly to 1.31 percent, from 1.19 percent in July, per Citi Habitats&rsquo; figures.</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5231ea2b69bedd5b51966714-575-174/elliman-chart333.png" border="0" alt="elliman chart333" /></p>
<p>&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s because pricing has pushed people to outer boroughs, or to purchasing,&rdquo; Malin said.</p>
<p>He said he expects renters to see prices begin to cave and landlords begin to offer incentives in some rentals in the fall.</p>
<p>Menendez was less pessimistic, but admitted that &ldquo;pressure on the market has been consistent.&rdquo;</p>
<p>However, one segment was seeing drastic price jumps, he said. Studios in Lower Manhattan saw median rents grow to $2,907 per month, up 10.8 percent from $2,623 the previous month, and 6.3 percent from $2,734 year-over-year. &ldquo;[Almost] $3,000 for a studio Downtown is a big number,&rdquo; Menendez said.</p>
<p>In Brooklyn, the median rent was $2,850 a month, up 4.6 percent year-over-year from $2,724, according to Elliman&rsquo;s report. The number of new rental deals signed in Brooklyn &mdash; 81 &mdash; was also a 200 percent increase year-over-year from 27.</p>
<p><strong>More from The Real Deal:</strong></p>
<p><span>1.&nbsp;</span><a href="http://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/real-estates-new-ruling-class/" target="_blank">Meet the Gen Xers taking over NYC real estate&nbsp;</a><br /><span>2.&nbsp;</span><a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/09/11/brooklyn-waterfront-site-trades-for-sky-high-92m/" target="_blank">Brooklyn waterfront site trades for sky-high $92M&nbsp;</a><br /><span>3.&nbsp;</span><a href="http://therealdeal.com/blog/2013/09/10/alleged-russian-fraudsters-had-taste-for-20-pine/" target="_blank">Russian scheme used NYC buildings to launder $230M: Feds</a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/renters-are-fleeing-manhattan-and-brooklyn-for-queens-2013-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/car-hits-5-children-at-nyc-school-2013-9An NYC Driver Hit And Seriously Injured 5 Kids While Trying To Parkhttp://www.businessinsider.com/car-hits-5-children-at-nyc-school-2013-9
Thu, 12 Sep 2013 11:21:15 -0400Katie Honan and Aidan Gardiner
<p class="story_text"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5231d5bb69beddc022966712-480-/dnainfo.png" border="0" alt="dnainfo" width="480" /></p><p>QUEENS &mdash; Five students were seriously hurt when a car that was trying to park jumped the curb and hit them near a Maspeth school building Thursday morning, the FDNY said.</p>
<p class="story_text">The children, all of whom attend nearby I.S. 73 and were either 12 or 13, were struck near Grand Avenue and 71st Street at 7:49 a.m. as they were coming out of a deli, fire and education officials said.</p>
<p class="story_text">In the wake of the horrific crash, a group of onlookers sprang into action, lifting the car in a desperate attempt to rescue two girls who were pinnned underneath.</p>
<p class="story_text">"We lifted the car just enough to get the girls out," said David Foubister, 40, who was walking his dog, Gucci, when he heard cries for help.</p>
<p class="story_text">"It was a whole community effort. The girls were in shock."</p>
<p class="story_text">Another witness, Lyns Garcia, saw the crash and rushed over to help.</p>
<p class="story_text">One of the girls was still clutching an egg sandwich, as well as a phone that showed a text message from her mom.</p>
<p class="story_text">"The mom had just texted a bunch of hearts and smileys," said Garcia, 44. "The girl said, 'Hold me.'</p>
<p class="story_text">Moments later, the girl's mom called and Garcia told her what happened to her daughter, whose leg appeared twisted, according to the witness.</p>
<p>All the children were taken to Elmhurst Hospital with serious injuries, the FDNY said.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/car-hits-5-children-at-nyc-school-2013-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/reported-vehicle-on-fire-on-new-york-citys-queensboro-bridge-2013-8Vehicle Fire Shuts Down New York City's Queensboro Bridgehttp://www.businessinsider.com/reported-vehicle-on-fire-on-new-york-citys-queensboro-bridge-2013-8
Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:28:00 -0400Pamela Engel
<p>A truck caught on fire and sent plumes of thick, black smoke into the air on New York City's Queensboro Bridge Friday morning.</p>
<p>WINS Traffic NYC <a href="https://twitter.com/WINSTRAFFICNYC/status/368391932583489536">reported</a>&nbsp;that the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Truck fire on Queensboro Bridge. There was no explosion. No injuries have been reported. <a href="http://t.co/wDBGImV4GZ">pic.twitter.com/wDBGImV4GZ</a></p>
&mdash; Shimon Prokupecz (@shimon4ny) <a href="https://twitter.com/shimon4ny/statuses/368397732341239808">August 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The fire was pretty intense:</span></p>
<p><iframe width="612" height="710" frameborder="0" src="//instagram.com/p/dFEE_ykoxV/embed/"></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Traffic near the bridge is backed up, and both the upper and lower levels of the bridge were closed as firefighters battled the blaze, </span><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=resources/traffic&amp;id=9208564">according to</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"> ABC in New York.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Traffic on <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Queensborobridge&amp;src=hash">#Queensborobridge</a> bridge still moving. Looks like the fire may be on lower level? <a href="http://t.co/pkqC1aSY8O">pic.twitter.com/pkqC1aSY8O</a></p>
&mdash; Gabe Morales (@GaboNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaboNYC/statuses/368391967337492480">August 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNewYork">@NBCNewYork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Traffic4NY">@Traffic4NY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC">@ABC</a> something happening in the queensboro bridge <a href="http://t.co/hTuL8cYZID">pic.twitter.com/hTuL8cYZID</a></p>
&mdash; Elena De Rossi (@elederossi) <a href="https://twitter.com/elederossi/statuses/368392014926057473">August 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>It appears the fire is now out:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="http://t.co/WzpYtAdDWe">pic.twitter.com/WzpYtAdDWe</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&mdash; Gabe Morales (@GaboNYC) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaboNYC/statuses/368395277490606080">August 16, 2013</a></blockquote>
<p>This photo comes from NBC New York's <a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Queensboro-Bridge-Fire-NYC-Smoke--219929231.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_NYBrand">live feed</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/520e4b6669bedd176500000d-487-348/queenboro fire.jpg" border="0" alt="Queenboro Bridge fire" /></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The call about the fire came in at about 11 a.m., and the smoke had mostly cleared by 11:45 a.m., NBC reports.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Some electrical cables on the bridge might have been damaged, <a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/08/16/huge-truck-fire-causes-delays-on-ed-koch-queensboro-bridge/?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=twitter">according to</a> CBS New York.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/reported-vehicle-on-fire-on-new-york-citys-queensboro-bridge-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-middle-school-bans-controversial-book-2013-8A Middle School In Queens Banned A Book That Parents Called 'Fifty Shades Of Grey For Kids'http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-middle-school-bans-controversial-book-2013-8
Thu, 01 Aug 2013 12:58:00 -0400Peter Jacobs
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/51fa86576bb3f75f67000010-480-/boy-reading.jpg" border="0" alt="Boy Reading" width="480" /></p><p>A middle school in Queens has <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/nyc-sixth-graders-longer-read-racy-article-1.1414308">removed a sexually provocative book from its sixth grade required reading</a> following complaints by incoming students' parents, the Daily News reports.</p>
<p>Parents of rising sixth graders at PS 114 in&nbsp;Rockaway Park had planned a boycott after the school assigned an essay on "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-True-Diary-Part-Time-Indian/dp/0316013692">The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</a>," a&nbsp;coming of age story by Sherman Alexie about a 14-year-old who moves to an affluent all white suburb after growing up on an Indian reservation.&nbsp;The book won the 2007&nbsp;National Book Award for Young People's Literature.</p>
<p>"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" is controversial for its portrayal of masturbation, and includes passages such as,&nbsp;"If there were a Professional Masturbators League, I'd get drafted number one and make millions of dollars."&nbsp;</p>
<p>One PS 114 parent told the Daily News, "It's about . . . masturbation &mdash; which is not appropriate for my child to learn at 11 ... It was like 'Fifty Shades of Grey' for kids."</p>
<p>According to the Daily News, "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" was banned from a school district in Oregon in 2008, as well as one in Mississippi in 2010 and Washington in 2011.&nbsp;</p>
<p>After the 2008 ban in Oregon, Alexie defending the book, telling an Oregon newspaper, "Everything in the book is what every kid in that school is dealing with on a daily basis, whether it's masturbation or racism or sexism or the complications of being human ...&nbsp;To pretend that kids aren't dealing with this on an hour-by-hour basis is a form of denial."</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-middle-school-bans-controversial-book-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-its-hard-to-go-brooklyn-to-queens-2013-5Why It's So Hard To Get From Brooklyn To Queenshttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-its-hard-to-go-brooklyn-to-queens-2013-5
Fri, 31 May 2013 14:12:44 -0400Richard Greenwald
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/51a8c7fceab8ea4543000002-400-300/nyc-subway-g-train-station-queens-3.jpg" border="0" alt="nyc subway g train station queens" width="400" height="300" /></p><p>Ever try to get from Brooklyn to Queens, two of the most populated boroughs of New York City?</p>
<p>Without a car, it's nearly impossible, as most subway lines require one to go through Manhattan first.</p>
<p>I was recently at an event and speaking to a Brooklyn business leader who grew up in Queens. He told me he remembered going to Brooklyn frequently as a child, for shopping and even for high school.</p>
<p>Every time I meet someone who grew up in Queens of a certain age, they will tell me that they remember going to Brooklyn all the time. For them, going "downtown" meant going to Brooklyn. So what happened? How did the two neighboring boroughs become disconnected?</p>
<p>In the beginning, the New York City subway system, as historian Clifton Hood details in his masterful book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/722-Miles-Building-Subways-Transformed/dp/0801880548">722 Miles</a>, was a commuter line. As such, it was designed to bring people to where the jobs were, and that meant Manhattan. So all subway routes lead there.</p>
<p><img src="http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2013/05/29/NYCSubwayMap.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="590" /></p>
<p>If this is true, and it is, then how did Queens residents once travel so easily to Brooklyn? One word can explain it: trolleys.</p>
<p>While the subway got people from the outer boroughs into Manhattan, the once-vast trolley system of New York connected the residents of Queens to Brooklyn. Here's what that system looked like circa the early 1930s:</p>
<p><img src="http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2013/05/29/TrolleyNYC.embed.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="590" /> <small>(NYCSubway.org)</small></p>
<p>The demise of the trolleys in the late 1930s and '40s seems to be largely responsible for disconnecting the two sister boroughs. Yes, they were replaced by buses, but buses have never &mdash; for a number of reasons &mdash; been able to cement the connection the way trolleys seemed to.</p>
<p>Starting in the 1920s, a company called National City Lines started buying up street car lines, then mostly privately owned. In 1936, the company became a holding company owned equally by General Motors, Firestone Tire, Standard Oil of California, and Phillips Petroleum. Perhaps you can guess where this is going. NCL bought up trolley systems in over 40 cities and 15 states, converting them almost overnight into bus lines.</p>
<p>In 1947, they were indicted in federal court, in what became known as the <a href="http://www.intransitionmag.org/archive_stories/streetcar_scandal.aspx">"Great American Streetcar Scandal."</a>&nbsp; Two years later, the four original companies who owned NCL, along with MAC Truck, were found guilty of conspiracy to monopolize mass transit. But by then the damage was done. Most of the nation&rsquo;s streetcar system was in junkyards, replaced by buses.</p>
<p><img src="http://cdn.theatlanticcities.com/img/upload/2013/05/29/StreetCarCemetery.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="590" /> <small>(Wikimedia Commons/<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pacific-Electric-Red-Cars-Awaiting-Destruction.gif">UCLA Library digital collections</a>)</small></p>
<p>Clearly the firms involved in this saw a business opportunity to sell more buses, tires, and gasoline. But what was lost in this shift from trolleys to buses? In the outer boroughs of New York, trolleys had acted as a primary mode of transportation. Buses, on the other-hand, were tertiary, connecting commuters first-and-foremost to subway lines.</p>
<p>The massive shift to buses meant that people from Queens and parts of Brooklyn were now better connected to Manhattan than ever before, but stopped shopping in Downtown Brooklyn. As white flight and urban decline escalated in the late 1960s, Queens identified more and more with Long Island, isolating Brooklyn further still.</p>
<p>Now that Brooklyn has emerged as a cultural center, no doubt many folks in Queens would like to reconnect to their sister borough. With the city's upcoming mayoral election heating up, the candidates might be well-served to revisit this history and look for new ways to bring Queens and Brooklyn back together.</p>
<p><em>Click&nbsp;<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/follow-the-atlantic/" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to follow The Atlantic Cities.<br /><br /></em><strong>More From The Atlantic Cities:</strong></p>
<p>&bull;<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/05/we-paved-cicada-paradise/5754/">We Paved Cicada Paradise</a></p>
<p>&bull;<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/05/if-gif-10000-years-sea-level-rise-doesnt-freak-you-out-nothing-will/5751/">If This GIF of 10,000 Years of Sea Level Rise Doesn't Freak You Out, Nothing Will</a></p>
<p>&bull;<a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/05/most-important-population-statistic-hardly-ever-gets-talked-about/5747/">The Most Important Population Statistic That Hardly Ever Gets Talked About<strong><br /></strong></a></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-its-hard-to-go-brooklyn-to-queens-2013-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-man-held-in-warehouse-for-a-month-2013-5Queens Businessman Was Held In A Warehouse For A Month, Burned With Acid, And Beatenhttp://www.businessinsider.com/queens-man-held-in-warehouse-for-a-month-2013-5
Thu, 23 May 2013 12:07:58 -0400Pamela Engel
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/519e3d14ecad047475000015-400-/queens-man-kidnapped-warehouse.jpg" border="0" alt="Queens Man Kidnapped Warehouse" width="400" /></p><p>Authorities have charged three men&nbsp;with kidnapping a Queens businessman, who was held in a warehouse for more than a month, beaten, and burned with acid.</p>
<p>The suspects were demanding $3 million in ransom from the man's relatives in Ecuador. Kidnappers allegedly forced the victim into an SUV in broad daylight on&nbsp;Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, <a href="http://www.queensda.org/newpressreleases/2013/may/acuna_alves_moncayo_05_22_2013.cmp.pdf">according to a news release</a> from the Queens District Attorney's office.</p>
<p>Suspects&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Christian Acuna, 35,</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;Dennis Alves, 32, and Eduardo </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Moncayo, 38, are waiting to be arraigned on charges of first- and second-degree kidnapping and first-degree unlawful imprisonment. They face 25 years to life in prison if convicted.</span></p>
<p>Police say <span>Moncayo approached</span>&nbsp;52-year-old&nbsp;<span>Pedro Portugal on April 18 in Queens, flashing what looked like a New York City police badge.&nbsp;<span>Moncayo and another man then allegedly grabbed Portugal and drove off.&nbsp;</span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">They put a mask over his face, punched him, and held a knife to his stomach, according to police.</span></p>
<p><span><span>The suspects allegedly took him to a warehouse, tied him to a chair, and demanded he call his mother to request the $3 million ransom. During the time&nbsp;Portugal was kept in the warehouse, a group of masked men burned his hand with acid, threatened to cut off his fingers, and kill him and beat him severely.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>A New York City detective found him on May 20. Portugal is&nbsp;a <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/nyregion/suspects-are-arrested-in-kidnapping-and-torture-of-queens-man.html?ref=nyregion&amp;_r=1&amp;">married father of six</a>&nbsp;and he owns an accounting business on Roosevelt Avenue, where the abduction allegedly took place, <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/the-new-york-times">The New York Times</a> reported. Police aren't sure why the kidnappers targeted him because he and his family aren't exceedingly wealthy.</span></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-man-held-in-warehouse-for-a-month-2013-5#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-cypriot-restaurant-owner-on-bailout-2013-3CYPRIOT FAMILY: This Bailout 'Will Lead To Destruction Of The People'http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-cypriot-restaurant-owner-on-bailout-2013-3
Mon, 18 Mar 2013 18:37:00 -0400Rob Wile
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/51478e73ecad04cc4b000004-400-/zenon%20taverna.jpg" border="0" alt="zenon taverna" width="400" /></p><p>There's a lot of anger and confusion coming out of Cyprus.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Over the weekend, European leaders announced a surprise bailout package for the country, which would include a tax on cash deposits.</p>
<p>We now know that banks will be closed <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;ved=0CDgQqQIwAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fbusiness-21823432&amp;ei=_Y5HUYeqFbe14APF-YGYDQ&amp;usg=AFQjCNEjuSC78gvk4ZsReCpjVsGGEsuK2w&amp;sig2=8Fx1O6ilfLMCJS-BXeoreA&amp;bvm=bv.43828540,d.dmg">until Thursday</a>, which has the potential to create a slew of other problems.</p>
<p>We reached out to Elena and&nbsp;Theodora Papageorgiou, who run the Cypriot restaurant <a href="http://zenontaverna.com/index.php">Zenon Taverna</a> in Astoria, Queens, to learn what their relatives in the Cyprus cities of Larnaca and Agia Napa are experiencing.</p>
<p>They claim their relatives were already being told they couldn't withdraw funds before the bailout announcement.</p>
<p>While their family has enough to make it through the week, they fear what will happen once banks reopen.</p>
<p>Most of all, they are outraged by the indiscriminate way rich and poor alike will suffer under the terms of the bailout.</p>
<p>Here's a transcript of our Q&amp;A, edited for clarity:&nbsp;</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>BUSINESS INSIDER: What's the current situation like in Cyprus?</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong></strong><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>PAPAGEORGIOU FAMILY:</strong>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">When my mother spoke to [her relatives] a few days ago, they told them that they weren't able to withdraw any money from the banks. I think everyone knows the banks being closed is temporary, and although they use credit cards down there, a lot of people, especially the old generation still use mainly cash, and maybe visit the banks 1 time every 1-2 weeks. </span>I think the panic is more from outrage that their money is going to be taken, than the fact that they need money right now for their day to day expenses.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong>BI: How will your family in Cyprus be affected?</strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></strong><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>PF:</strong> Certain people in my family will be affected more than others. My grandparents are well into their 80s and are refugees (IDPs) from (Turkish-) occupied territory &nbsp;since the invasion of 1974. Their accounts are on the smaller side and unfortunately, </span>their financial situation is not being considered in this, as well as other refugees and the older generation.<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"> Their only income is their pension, which is not much to begin with and has already been reduced. As for my cousins, aunts/uncles, they are already suffering. The job market has taken a drastic hit and many are already without a job. </span>By taking away from their savings, and no additional income coming in, they are going to fall into an even worse situation<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><strong><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">BI: Do you think the bailout will improve the country's economic situation?</span></strong></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>PF:</strong> If done properly, the bailout may help. Unfortunately, the chances of a debt being paid back are very slim, and the recent closing of the banks have brought people's movements and spending to a standstill. </span>Once the banks reopen, I am pretty sure everyone is going to race to try and remove as much money as possible. The way the bailout has been proposed, it seems it will lead to the destruction of the people because it will make it impossible for the country to ever come out on top<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>BI: What do you think needs to be done long-term to fix the country's finances?</strong> </span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>PF:&nbsp;</strong>There is no easy answer to this question because any and all solutions will have consequences. Having discussed this issue with Cypriots here in the states, many people have said they would voluntarily give some money if it would help the country. Although it is difficult to say how much money can be raised this way, it would be voluntary and people wouldn't feel like their hand was forced and their government was trying to steal their money. This may be&nbsp;impractical&nbsp;though, I'm nowhere near an economist so I can only really say based on what I heard and what I've been discussing with fellow Cypriots. If a loan can be taken that wouldn't cripple the country or make them vulnerable and in debt for the rest of the&nbsp;foreseeable&nbsp;future, this is would be ideal.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Also, it would be nice if we aren't hearing that our president was forced into agreeing to terms that are in no way agreeable. I'm sure there is a lot we don't know, and we will never find out about, but </span>it would be good if for the first time in Cyprus' history, the EU, our government, and any other governments involved thought about their population and the well being of the older generation, in addition to the rest of the citizens<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Note: I also think its important in this not to forget the the political problems of the island. When talking about finances, the occupation of the island is quickly forgotten, but this is the reason so many people are struggling. Many people were unable to recover after the invasion and make back the fortune they had pre-invasion. &nbsp;</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"></span>The decades of hard work from our ancestors was all lost in the invasion, and now they are left with the little they were able to acquire while rebuilding their lives from absolutely nothing, while trying to survive with their families. Adding this to the current economic problems, and people are devastated all over again.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cyprus-bailout-risks-europe-bank-runs-2013-3" >Why The Cyprus Deal Could Screw Up Way More Than Cyprus ></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-cypriot-restaurant-owner-on-bailout-2013-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/carl-icahn-accent-2013-3CNBC Anchors Were Doing Carl Icahn Impressions This Morninghttp://www.businessinsider.com/carl-icahn-accent-2013-3
Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:18:41 -0500Julia La Roche
<p><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/cnbc">CNBC</a> anchors <a href="http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?play=1&amp;video=3000152752#eyJ2aWQiOiIzMDAwMTUyNzUyIiwiZW5jVmlkIjoiek8vc01EMWpXUTQ3eHNLM1FuTUIrQT09IiwidlRhYiI6InRyYW5zY3JpcHQiLCJ2UGFnZSI6MSwiZ05hdiI6WyLCoExhdGVzdCBWaWRlbyJdLCJnU2VjdCI6IkFMTCIsImdQYWdlIjoiMSIsInN5bSI6IiIsInNlYXJjaCI6IiJ9">Joe Kernen and David Faber were imitating Carl Icahn's accent</a> during a segment about him snapping up a big Dell stake that could complicate the company's buyout deal.</p>
<p>We think Faber was spot on with the billionaire investor's Queens accent. We're not sure what kind of accent was coming from Kernen.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Check it out below: (start at the 2:24 minute mark and go until about 3:40)</p>
<p><object id="cnbcplayer" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" width="400" height="380"><param name="type" value="application/x-shockwave-flash" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="quality" value="best" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><param name="flashVars" value="startTime=000" /><param name="flashVars" value="endTime=000" /><param name="movie" value="http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/3000152752/code/cnbcplayershare/&amp;startTime=145/&amp;endTime=229" /><embed name="cnbcplayer" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" quality="best" wmode="transparent" scale="noscale" salign="lt" src="http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/3000152752/code/cnbcplayershare/&amp;startTime=145/&amp;endTime=229" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="380" width="400" /></object></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carl-icahn-accent-2013-3#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-midtown-tunnel-to-reopen-friday-2012-11The Queens-Midtown Tunnel Will Reopen Tomorrowhttp://www.businessinsider.com/queens-midtown-tunnel-to-reopen-friday-2012-11
Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:51:53 -0500Alex Davies
<p>The Queens-Midtown Tunnel will reopen tomorrow, New York Governor <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/andrew-cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</a> just announced via <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/twitter">Twitter</a>:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p>BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Queens">#Queens</a>-<a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23Midtown">#Midtown</a> Tunnel to reopen to public FRIDAY <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23recovery">#recovery</a></p>
&mdash; Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/266595300347617281" data-datetime="2012-11-08T17:37:27+00:00">November 8, 2012</a></blockquote>
<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>
<p>Once it opens, the only tunnel still closed in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy will be the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, better known as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, connecting lower Manhattan and Brooklyn.</p>
<p><strong>SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nyc-l-train-status-update-2012-11">NYC's L Train Tunnel Is Finally Dry, But No Service Yet</a></strong></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/queens-midtown-tunnel-to-reopen-friday-2012-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p>